Applied Materials, Inc.

Michael Awdshiew

Bikram Kapoor

Alok Jain

Farhan Ahmad

A method of depositing a film on a substrate. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a first portion of the film using a high density plasma to partially fill a gap formed between adjacent features formed on the substrate. The film deposition process is then stopped before or shortly after the entry of the gap pinches off and the film is etched to widen entry to the gap using a two step etching process that includes a first physical etch step that forms a plasma from a sputtering agent introduced into the processing chamber and biases the plasma towards the substrate and a subsequent chemical etch step that forms a plasma from a reactive etchant gas introduced into the processing chamber. After the etching sequence is complete, a second portion of the film is deposited over the first portion using a high density plasma to further fill the gap.

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Singapore, Singapore

Michael Awdshiew